Department for International Trade

Agricultural Products: ACP Countries

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to continue to recognise EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and food safety approvals for imports of agricultural products from the African, Caribbean and Pacific group countries once the UK’s exit from the EU is complete, or whether they plan to require exporters from those countries to secure separate SPS and food safety approvals for exports to the UK.

Lord Price: A new Department for Exiting the European Union has been established by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, to oversee arrangements for the UK’s exit from the EU after we have triggered Article 50. Until then the UK remains a full member of the EU.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Zimbabwe: Financial Services

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the government of Zimbabwe's previous breaches of domestic and international commitments, what assessment they have made of the risk of it breaching the commitments required for re-entry to the global financial system.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Zimbabwe’s re-engagement with the International Financial Institutions will only be possible once it has demonstrated a clear commitment to economic and political reform. We, along with the wider international community, have made this clear to the Zimbabwean government.

Zimbabwe: Financial Services

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether ministers plan to meet Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa prior to the decision of the International Monetary Fund on whether Zimbabwe should be re-admitted to the global financial system.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 14 July 2016.The correct answer should have been:

British Ministers and officials have met Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa in recent months, including the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Development, my Hon Friend the Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (Nick Hurd), in May and the Minister for Africa, my Hon Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), in July. In these meetings, Ministers emphasised to Minister Chinamasa the importance of urgent economic and political reforms in Zimbabwe if there is to be further progress on re-engagement with the International Financial Institutions.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: British Ministers and officials have met Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa in recent months, including the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Development, my Hon Friend the Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (Nick Hurd), in May and the Minister for Africa, my Hon Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), in July. In these meetings, Ministers emphasised to Minister Chinamasa the importance of urgent economic and political reforms in Zimbabwe if there is to be further progress on re-engagement with the International Financial Institutions.

Southern African Development Community: Economic Partnership Agreements

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to ratify the Economic Partnership Agreement between the Southern African Development Community and the EU signed on 10 June.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We will make a decision on the ratification of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the European Union at a later date, in accordance with the best interests of the UK. We remain full members of the EU for now, and while the UK is still a member of the EU all existing rights and obligations will continue to apply. The Agreement will provisionally apply to the UK once it has been ratified by the European Parliament and SADC member states, irrespective of any UK ratification.

Department of Health

Diseases

Lord Turnberg: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the removal of the role of the National Clinical Director for gastrointestinal and liver diseases, what other forms of information and advice on those diseases are available to NHS England.

Lord Turnberg: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether NHS England will seek advice from specialist gastrointestinal disease societies following the removal of the role of National Clinical Director for that area.

Lord Turnberg: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what mechanisms they plan to employ to seek advice on workforce planning for gastroenterology following the removal of the role of National Clinical Director for that area.

Lord Prior of Brampton: In future, NHS England will seek clinical advice on issues relating to gastrointestinal and liver disease from a variety of sources. This will include experts at Public Health England (PHE) for issues which are alcohol related, the National Clinical Director for Obesity and Diabetes for issues relating to obesity induced fatty liver disease as well as through the Clinical Reference Group for hepatitis C and the medical Royal Colleges. Information on liver and gastrointestinal (GI) diseases is also available from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, PHE Atlases of variation, relevant national audits and regular clinical communication between the national Medical Director, his senior team and the relevant Royal Colleges and specialist societies and with senior professionals. NHS England continues to run an Endoscopy Stakeholder Group to ensure that all aspects of diagnostic pathways for GI disease are reviewed and clinical advice is taken regarding policy developments to address the current and projected requirement in capacity. The relevant specialist societies are key members of this group. NHS England also supports the national Cancer Implementation Programme on behalf of the arm’s length bodies, which includes workstreams on early diagnosis, and on living with and beyond cancer, both of which are addressing many issues that affect patients with GI cancers. Health Education England will continue to ensure that they engage with employers to forecast how many gastroenterologists they require year on year. The process for making decisions relating to medical training numbers is currently being refined. Medical speciality training post numbers will be reviewed in greater depth with a range of stakeholders on a rolling programme; approximately every two years. Gastroenterology is expected to be reviewed this winter.

Cabinet Office

Government Departments: Procurement

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what changes to government procurement rules they envisage as a result of the referendum on 23 June to leave the EU.

Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen: Until we leave, the UK remains a full member of the EU, with all of the rights and obligations. T​here will be no immediate change to the way our goods can move or the way our services can be sold.The Prime Minister has established a Department for Exiting the European Union for overseeing negotiations to leave the EU and establishing the future relationship between the UK and EU.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Sports Competitors: Gender Recognition

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to allow transgender athletes to compete at the Olympic Games; what consultation they have had with the British Olympic Association about that issue; what rules apply in the UK regarding transgender athletes competing in sport; and whether they consider the IOC's ruling to be a disadvantage to non-transgender female athletes.

Lord Ashton of Hyde: We have had no such discussions with the British Olympic Association. Sports competition regulations are a matter for the governing body. Home Nation Sports Councils published the attached guidance in 2013 for national governing bodies of sport entitled "Transsexual people and competitive sport”.



Transsexual People and Competitive Sport
(PDF Document, 1.7 MB)

Football: Sportsgrounds

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have yet received a report from the Premier League on progress towards the implementation of accessible stadia guidelines by August 2017.

Lord Ashton of Hyde: Ministers expect to receive the report from the Premier League on progress by their clubs to implement the Accessible Stadia guidelines shortly. Ministers meet the football authorities regularly to discuss a variety of matters, including accessibility.

Football: Sportsgrounds

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Premier League and the Football League about meeting disabled access guidelines at football grounds.

Lord Ashton of Hyde: Both the Minister for Disabled People and the Minister for Sport have had discussions and corresponded with both the Premier League and the Football League about improving accessibility at football stadia. The Minister for Sport is meeting the Premier League soon to discuss a range of topics including accessibility and progress with their work plan.

Sportsgrounds

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the governing bodies of sports other than football about meeting disabled access guidelines at sports stadia.

Lord Ashton of Hyde: Ministerial meetings have taken place with the Rugby Football Union and at official level with the Rugby Union Premier League on accessibility. Ministers are aware that there is both good and bad practice on stadium accessibility across a range of other sports. Ministers expect all sports, and all clubs, whose grounds do not make the reasonable adjustments to accommodate disabled spectators as set out in the Equality Act 2010 to take action to fulfil this legal obligation.

Sportsgrounds

Lord Faulkner of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for revising the terms of reference for the Sports Grounds Safety Authority to ensure that they encompass disabled access requirements at licensed sports stadia.

Lord Ashton of Hyde: As set out in our Sports Strategy, we will enable the Sports Grounds Safety Authority to take on a more formal role in helping sports grounds reach the required standards for accessibility. We are currently in discussions with the SGSA on what role they will play in delivering accessible sports grounds.